US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday, marking a significant visit aimed at addressing pressing issues between the world's two largest economies. The Chinese leader arrived in Washington on Wednesday, his first trip to the US since 2023. Trade tensions and artificial intelligence were set to dominate the agenda, with both leaders emphasizing the need for greater communication and cooperation.
The visit got off to a positive start, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announcing a two-month extension to the trade truce between the two superpowers late on Wednesday. This development set a constructive tone for the talks, which were expected to cover a range of critical issues. Xi invited 100,000 US nationals to study in China, while Beijing is set to continue its panda diplomacy by sending two pandas to a US zoo as a symbol of friendship.
During the visit, Trump and Xi struck a conciliatory tone, highlighting the importance of cooperation between the US and China. Trump announced that "decisions" would be made on key issues such as security, technology, and super intelligence, a term he used to describe AI. He emphasized that the decisions made in these areas would have far-reaching consequences, promoting peace and prosperity for decades to come.
According to a written address released by China's official news agency, Xinhua, Xi stated that the US and China should be partners, not rivals. He described the current year as crucial for relations between the two countries, stressing the need for stable relations characterized by cooperation, moderate competition, and surmountable differences. The two leaders were set to hold bilateral talks, followed by a state dinner attended by US tech executives.
The state dinner, scheduled for Thursday evening, was expected to be attended by prominent US tech executives, including Tesla chief executive Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Google and Alphabet chief executive Sundar Pichai, and Apple chief executive Tim Cook. The welcome ceremony for Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan included a 21-person guard of honour, a battery salute from cannons, and the US Air Force band playing both national anthems.
Washington rolled out the red carpet to welcome the Chinese delegation, with children presenting bouquets of flowers to Xi and his wife. Two B-1 bombers flew overhead during the ceremony, which marked a significant display of diplomatic protocol. Further topics likely to be discussed during the visit, which concluded on Friday, included global conflicts such as the war in Iran and Russia's war against Ukraine.
This visit marked Xi's first trip to the US since 2023, when he travelled to California for the APEC economic summit and met Trump's predecessor Joe Biden. The current visit was seen as an opportunity for both leaders to foster greater understanding and cooperation between the two nations, addressing pressing issues and promoting peace and prosperity.
Key points
- The US and China have agreed to extend a trade truce for two months.
- Xi Jinping has invited 100,000 US nationals to study in China.
- The two leaders discussed key issues such as security, technology, and super intelligence.
